East Stroudsburg man charged with vehicular homicide in I-80 crash

Tuesday

Mar 20, 2012 at 2:33 AMMar 20, 2012 at 1:48 PM

Eight hours after police say he caused a wreck that killed a New Jersey man while driving drunk, Lester Lee Tucker, of East Stroudsburg, was arraigned on seven charges. Tucker faces charges ranging from reckless driving, a misdemeanor, to homicide by motor vehicle while driving under the influence, a felony.

Eight hours after police say he caused a wreck that killed a New Jersey man while driving drunk, Lester Lee Tucker, of East Stroudsburg, was arraigned on seven charges.

Tucker faces charges ranging from reckless driving, a misdemeanor, to homicide by motor vehicle while driving under the influence, a felony.

State police say Tucker, 49, was traveling east on Interstate 80 early Tuesday when the front end of his SUV, a Chevrolet Denali, struck a pickup truck. The contact caused the pickup truck to lose control, roll over and slide down the North Ninth Street exit ramp in Stroud Township.

The truck came to rest on its roof on the exit ramp.

Raymond B. Gelormini, Jr., 49, from Hackettstown, N.J., who was driving the truck, was killed.

Tucker showed signs of alcohol impairment at the scene, according to state police, and was subsequently arrested for DUI.

The crash, which happened at 2:03 a.m., closed the North Ninth Street exit ramp reduced I-80 East to one lane. The ramp opened shortly before noon.

The pickup truck came to rest on its roof, with the front end and roof smashed, facing in the direction of traffic. The SUV ended up in the grass median. Wreckage was strewn from the beginning of the entrance ramp to the crash site. A highway sign was crumpled on the ground. Among the wreckage was a large dog kennel and a gas can.

The dog riding in the crate, a German shepherd, got out and was killed on the road about 100 yards from the crash.

Tucker was not injured.

The Denali suffered major front end damage. It rear bumper rested on the ground behind the vehicle. The SUV was otherwise intact.

At the end of his arraignment, Tucker asked the judge for a low bail so he could get things in order. In a sometimes barely audible slur, Tucker said, “I'm sorry for what I did. I know it was wrong and I have to pay for it.”

Tucker also told the District Judge Dan Higgins he has lived in the area all of his life and owns a restaurant, K and B Fish and Chips in East Stroudsburg.

State trooper James Sohn told the judge that Tucker had an “extensive criminal history” and that he was currently on probation from federal drug charges. Tucker admitted to being on federal probation.

Higgins told Tucker he was setting a high bail to ensure that Tucker shows up at his next hearing. He set Tucker's bail at $200,000.

Tucker's preliminary hearing is scheduled for Friday.

This is the second fatality on Pocono roads in 24 hours. On Monday, Edith A.Kelly, 69, was killed in a crash on Route 209 in Brodheadsville.